A Different World's Nature
by M.C.Denalde
Summary: She didn't know what to think or believe, this was the stuff of myths not reality. But he had chosen her and didn't seem intent on listening to her refusals. Loki/OC story
1. Where it Started

**I've taken a number of liberties with the changes in this story, a lot of stuff is improvised in here and even made up. But it's one of those stories I can't stop thinking about so I decided publishing would be best.**

~Prologue~

Looking back on my life then, I realize now that there was no way of knowing this all would've happened. For the longest time I assumed my own stupidity or naivety was what got me here, that it could've avoided. I used to loath myself for it, for being dense enough to allow this to happen.

I didn't think myself capable of what I was to face, that I didn't posses the strength.

And, I realize now that some things are meant to happen. No matter how much you fight it or deny its truth, fate will find a way of working your destiny.

I also realize no other person could've taken life on the way I did. For all of my ordinariness I know I was chosen for this life by something far greater than any of us.

~Where it began~

I woke up early, very early for me, and for the rest of society. For weeks I've had nightmares that wake me at unconventional hours, too late to go back to sleep restfully, too early for the sun to be risen.

With a sigh I turn my alarm clock off hours before its set time to go off. Its 4:12 in the morning. I head for the shower to get my brain working and to dust off the remnants of my nighttime ordeal. I could scarcely remember the dream, every night I would wake up with a vague memory of shadows and a racing heart.

Once out of the shower I had plenty of time to get dressed and put my hair up. I worked at an Elementary school, so I didn't have to dress overly fancy or in something horrid like a pantsuit. Nope it was bright colors and polka dots for me.

I dumped my supplies for today in a bag and poured some tea in a to go cup and headed to the subway. Living in New York had many perks but my favorite was having everything so close. My school was one subway stop away from my apartment. Enough time to review my lesson plan and summon all the patience I would need for the day. I loved my job but anybody who worked with twenty third graders every day needed plenty of patience.

Once in my class room I hung up my long tan coat and started to write the warmup notes on the board. The children where usually quiet for the first part of the morning and slowly picked up energy until the end of the day. Or quickly picked up energy. Some days were better than others.

As my students slowly came in before the bell I clicked through my email. Our school was hosting a charity fall festival and I had to correspond with several parents to help organize aspects of it. Most of the parents were sweet but then there were the impatient ones. The impatient ones seemed to email the most, unfortunately.

I also emailed the grade leader about our trip to Germany. The third class at out school had won several teaching awards last year; as a result we had been invited to speak in Berlin. Susan, our grade leader, who had entered us for the award, was arranging details for the event. It was this weekend, and today was Thursday so she was in a dither about it. I sent a few calming words of advice before closing out the page.

I pulled a smile on my face and pushed myself up from behind my desk.

"Okay, so who knows how to correct the first sentence on the board?"

Exhausted I sat down behind my desk at the end of the day, I needed to finish tomorrow's lesson plan and email Susan about a few last minute details concerning Germany. Today was particularly trying, I had to take two kids in the hall for a 'chat' and ended up emailing one of said children's parent. It was highly inappropriate to tie girls braids to the back of their seats and then throw spiders at them.

Clicking through my emails I found that Susan had emailed a detailed schedule for the trip. We would be meeting at the airport Friday night. She added that because we were adults she expected us to be on time and easier to control than her class. There was a smiley face next to it but I knew well enough to take it seriously.

I printed it off and put it in my bag next to my binder of papers to grade. On my way out I shrugged on my coat. I waved to a few of the other teachers as I passed their rooms. Hand drawn pictures and crafts hung from the walls in orderly chaos. I had a fondness for children's art, I can't explain it.

I walked briskly outside, the cold was biting despite the fact it was only mid October. I gust of wind blew sharply in my face, I squinted against it and pushed forward toward the subway. I had almost made it when I heard a shout.

I normally don't stop whenever I hear someone shouting, it is New York after all and people are loud for a number of reasons. But the terror in this voice had me sprinting around the corner toward the source.

It was a smaller side street that lead to a dead end, usually it was all but empty of traffic or anybody other than the street's residents. What I saw today however caused a shiver of fear to creep down my spine.

A man with mid length night black hair in strange dark green armor was wielding a type of weapon or sword on a small group of people. I watched in frozen terror as he swiftly approached the screaming man with his back facing me.

The other people appeared to be as equally frozen as me, only they didn't appear frightened or even worried for the victim. No, something wasn't right here. There was something in their eyes that sent a warning to the core of my biology.

I forced myself into action, dropping my bag I ran forward, ignoring the primal instinct of flight; cautiously looking from side to side to make sure there weren't other threats lurking. I was about ten feet from them when the dark haired man simply tapped the screaming man with his sword. That was all it took.

I came to a screeching halt when I saw his reaction to being touched by it. Instead of further fear his features smoothed out and his screams died down, his eyes were blank. There was something very wrong happening. I was taking steps backward now hoping I hadn't been noticed yet, when the dark haired man rounded on me.

His appeared as if he was enjoying himself, his lips were only slightly tugged up in a smile, but his eyes held an excitement in them that I rarely saw anywhere besides children. The wind threaded through his hair blowing it in every direction. He did not look of this world.

He stalked forward casually, smoothly, without effort. He didn't seem the least bit concerned about what he was doing. I needed to react, I couldn't just freeze and allow this to happen. Just before his weapon was at chest level, I kicked. Not at him, but upwards toward his weapon. I kicked it clear out of his hands. I felt a jolt of intense pain as it tore at the skin on the tops of my feet. But my pain was well worth it, for the long metal weapon clattered a good four feet away from him.

Surprised, he finally glanced at me. He had about four seconds before I had turned on me heel and ran like hell for the subway. I didn't forget the look in his eyes before I turned. It was seared in my brain as I shakily sat on the subway.

I put my head in my hands and I focused on breathing in and out when I remembered something that nearly stopped my heart in panic.

My bag. It had everything about me and my life, where I lived, where I worked, it even had a detailed plan about what my weekend activities would be, and I had left it there on the sidewalk. I was hyperventilating now.

As the subway came to my stop I rose and stumbled in the direction of my apartment. He could find me. I could call the police, but something told me that this man was beyond the police. Something more, something scarier, something uncontrollable.

I sprinted up the stairs and ran into my little home, slamming the door behind me and locking all the bolts, even pushing a chair up against it. But as I turned away and rubbed my eyes with the backs of my hand I saw his eyes. And what was in them scared me, beyond the anger and surprise I saw in the depths of his eyes, desire.

**Good? Bad? Thoughts? Concerns? Comments? Questions or Suggestions? Please leave them! I love reviews**!


	2. Eyes

**Wow! I can't believe how many reviews I got on the last chapter! You guys rock and have inspired me to update sooner! Enjoy the second installment :) **

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~Eyes~

I lifted my head heavily off the arm of my couch, blinking wearily at the early morning sun. I had spent the majority of the night watching the door, the slightest of noises dragging me from sleep. When I did sleep it was full of shadows and darkness. My foot still throbbed painfully where it had been cut, thankfully it wasn't deep.

As I laid there catanically I couldn't help but think of my bag, it had all of my life in it: my laptop, cell phone, and more importantly my wallet, all gone. I would need to cancel my credit card today. The thought of it all fried my nerves and sent me on the verge of tears. Deep breath, 'it's okay, it will all work out' I told myself. It seemed selfish to cry over such insignificant stuff but it had been a rough night and I was feeling emotional.

I listened to the relative quiet of my apartment before I stood carefully and limped to my bedroom. I didn't want to leave the relative safety of my apartment but I knew if I stayed I would lose my mind.

I carefully selected my clothing for today. Kaki slacks and a button down top, along with oxford shoes that would cover the tops of my feet. Now I could easily run or fight if I had to, or at least more easily than if I'd been wearing a dress. I took a calming breath before leaving my apartment.

The trip to work was tauntingly calm, even the road where everything had taken place was eerily quiet. I wondered if any of those people from yesterday had families missing them.

As I walked up the front steps of the school I practically sang with happiness, everything was so normal it's almost like it hadn't happened.

The hallways of the school were bustling compared to the streets. I felt more comfortable having people around, it made me feel safer and less vulnerable. As I passed by Susan stopped me, breaking my train of thought.

For many of the teachers here she was like a mother, especially newer teachers such as myself. Whenever there were new comers she taught them everything about the school and made them feel welcome. She even looked like a mom with her curly brown hair and maternal round face that almost always had a side.

"Are you all packed for Germany tonight?" she asked. I nodded my assent, I was only too eager to leave the country after yesterday's events.

"Make your sure your punctual!" Susan said with stern smile before waving me off to class.

I went straight to my desk to grab a stack of papers that needed to be passed out. I had made several cycles around the room before I noticed with a start that my bag was sitting happily on my desk.

My heart clenched as I realized what that meant, who had brought it. I walked slowly over, as if it were a live animal. Inside my bag everything was inside; phone, charger, binder, cellphone, even my wallet, I felt like gagging.

This place was supposed to be a safe haven. Children went here. Disgusted with this entire situation I yanked open the bottom drawer of my desk and pulled out my pepper gas. I doubted that he would come here during the day but if he did I wanted a way to protect my students. Whatever he had done to those people.. I shook myself out of it and went about my normal routine.

The entire day I felt like there were eyes on the back of my neck. I had stuttered and jumped so many times I eventually gave up on teaching and started to read stories with the class.

When I got home I sorely needed a nap but I knew I couldn't spare the time, our flight left tonight and I needed to get my stuff together.

Most of the speaking engagements were business casual but there was a fancy party on the second night that I had a nice dress for. Even with formal attire I could fit everything in a suitcase and my carry-on. It was a happy accomplishment.

It would make the entire trip easier if I packed lightly, I detested dragging bags in and out of cabs, I always felt like I was misplacing something.

The cab ride today was particularly hectic because of rush hour. Something Susan berated us about in several emails, 'account for rush hour, and remember its the La Guardia airport not JFK!'.

We would meet by the flight gate an hour before our departure time so it left me a good amount of time to navigate customs and security on my own. I didn't particularly enjoy large crowds so it was preferable to only have to worry about myself.

First step, check my bag, I looked forlornly at the long line, most of the people where scowling or on a phone. This would be fun. However, the large numbers the lines were moving smoothly and I only witnessed one child meltdown.

As I waited patiently to get my passport stamped I had the eery sensation of being watched, again. As the hairs on my arms rose I turned around to find the source. Nothing. I shook my head at myself, I needed to get over this paranoia. Lost in my own train of thought I didn't hear the security guard talking to me.

"Miss?..um..Miss...Lane?" He said looking down at my passport.

"Hm? Oh sorry, I thought I heard someone calling my name." I said absently as he handed me back my passport.

It only took me a few minutes to find the group.

"Charlotte!" Martha shouted from across the terminal, she waved frantically and bounced up and down as if I hadn't seen her. I loved Martha dearly but she was as much of a child as the students she taught. Her red head bounced my way completely abandoning Susan and her husband Niall. I noted with a sigh that Catarina wasn't there yet, she was late to almost everything.

"Heeeey Charlotte, are you excited for the plane ride?" Martha asked as she dragged me over to Niall and Susan. Susan had the look on her face that made me think she was about to have a seizure. I kind of felt bad for her, she wasn't old per se, she was still in her fourties, but the rest of us were still pretty young and I think she felt like she was babysitting sometimes.

"You okay, Susan?" I asked lightly. She shook her head tersely.

"If she misses the flight we can't wait for her, she'll have to find her own way." She responded unhappily.

"It's okay, there is still plenty of time until take off." I said reassuringly. After a few minutes I gave up on calming her and retreated.

I went off in search of food, which in an airport wasn't in short quantity.

Forty five minutes later I was munching on a spicy chicken wrap waiting for boarding, Cat was still no where to be found but I honestly wasn't worried. Worst case scenario, she takes the first flight tomorrow.

The flight attendant called for first class to board and I watched a few retired people shuffle over. It was a completely booked flight so the line was already incredibly long.

I was disappointed when I was among the last to board the flight, although it did make it easier to find my seat. As I situated myself on my aisle seat, I looked around to see where the others were. Niall was across the aisle to my left, already looking queasy. Susan was up toward the front of business class and Martha was in the back chatting with some elderly people.

"We will departing momentarily, we are boarding our final guest right now." the flight attendant said cheerily on the intercom. I didn't have to look up to see who it was, Catarina came strolling in, sent me a leisurely wave and sat down next to Susan. Should be an interesting seating arrangement.

As I settled back for the next few hours I got the same uneasiness I'd had all day. This time I chose to ignore it, I would not give into paranoia. As soon as the jet was in the air I felt much safer, nobody could reach me here.

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Did you like it? I thought you might like to know this story is taking place during the Avengers. I think I might change categories from Thor to Avengers because of this, or maybe a crossover. Anyway please review! :)


	3. The Arrival and the Party

**I'm so sorry this took so long, it's been a bad week and this is a long****chapter. I hope it makes up for how boring the last one was. Enjoy :)**

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~The Arrival~

I stood disheveled and tired on the street outside of the airport. We were waiting for Niall to hail a taxi for us as we stood with the luggage. It had been a very long night on the plane but none of us really minded considering where we were. The whole town had the appearance of sparkling because of the thin layer of frost that covered everything, it was breathtaking.

It didn't take long to find a taxi, which was lucky since it was about five in the morning Berlin time. Riding through the streets of Berlin I was amazed with the city. It was so green and pretty compared to most big cities, and there was the strangest combination of old and new buildings. I doubted I would ever want to leave.

After a few minutes of driving we arrived at the hotel, it was far nicer than any hotel I had stayed in, and I doubted I could ever afford it. If the people who invited us weren't paying for our stay I would probably be staying in the Marriot or something equally affordable.

We left our bags at the hotel and went in search of a restaurant that would serve breakfast this early in the morning. We found a tiny dumpy place with a handful of tables, it wasn't beautiful but it smelled good and it was probably one of the few places that was open.

It took a while to navigate the entirely German menu. it was good that Niall had taken German in high school, otherwise we would've been hopelessly lost by now. After eating a plateful of warm waffles, I listened to the others discuss plans for the day. The options were scattered everywhere from museums to boating in the river to shopping. I didn't say anything but I was in favor of Susan's idea of going to the art museum. Art, in my opinion showed more than any trolley tour could. We eventually agreed to diss agree and go our separate ways.

It was a quiet day, no uneasy feeling no strange men with staffs, just Susan and some paintings, and some amazing German food. I felt safe here, which was welcome compared to the jumpiness of the previous days.

I contemplated my life at the end of the day before bed. My life has always been a bit dull, not that I wanted maniacs with scepters hanging around, but I'd never really done much. I was content but average, I always assumed that would make me safe. I went to bed hoping that the normality would come back and I could live again.

The next morning I went down to the breakfast that was set up for the conference attendees. It was very quiet as I sat and sipped some tea, I was pleased, last night I had slept dreamlessly and happy. When Susan came up with her plate of food I gestured for her to sit, I was reading about today's speakers while she ate. I liked sitting with her, she didn't force conversation or make annoying sounds. I was almost halfway through the article when she interrupted my train of thought.

"Charlotte, I can't help but notice you've been off lately. Your so distant all of a sudden, like your someone else entirely. Did something happen that you need to talk about?" she looked genuinely worried for me, I should've known she would notice my acting strangely. She was perceptive that way. Because of this I knew I couldn't lie to her, she had been teaching far too long to still believe in lies. I also couldn't tell the truth for obvious reasons.

"Im fine, I've just been having nightmares and havent been sleeping well as a result." It wasn't completely a lie, but she still didn't look like she believed a word of it, she didn't brooch the subject again though. I made a hasty retreat as soon as it wouldn't be obvious. I went to watch the first speaking engagement of the day, I didn't absorb any of it. I was too busy worrying.

Part II

~The Party~

That evening there was a small congregation of people in my room. We were getting ready for the formal event and because we were girls we couldn't each do it in our respective bathrooms. I had just rolled Martha's hair into curlers for her, I hoped it would be curly afterwards but her hair was so straight there was no way of knowing. Cat had straightened her hair into a long dark rippling pool. Susan was doing some braided hair bun type style, I had offered to help but she hadn't wanted it.

"Hold still" Cat ordered as she curled my hair. She was trying to put it in an updo, my hair frizzed too easily to have it down all night. I didn't know what it would look like, but its not like I couldn't save it if it ended up being disaster. I winced but didn't say anything as she stuck a hairpin into my skull, it was like she could here my thoughts.

"Okay, I think, its stable." she said spraying me with hairspray.

"You make it sound like a building," Martha laughed.

"It needs to be as sturdy as one." Cat muttered.

"Okay ladies I'm going back to my room to get dressed." Susan said looking down at her watch.

"What time is it?" Martha asked shaking her hair free of the hot rollers.

"We have twenty minutes." she responded, there was a chorus of horror as they all rushed off to get dressed. The only downside to getting ready together was how easily distractible we could be.

When they were finally gone I went to get my dress out of the bathroom. I had steamed it last night to get out the wrinkles my suitcase had made. It was a long chiffon emerald dress, the tiny sleeves were off the shoulder and it gathered and folded around my waist. It was selected carefully for its easy transportation and durability, I had already worn it to two weddings.

I slipped it on and looked at myself in the mirror. I would never have the capacity to be a bombshell, I was incredibly awkward growing up and that oddly enough affected my adulthood. I didn't have the kind of confidence that made people stop to look, and I rarely talked if I didn't have to. I usually didn't wear anything very daring, mostly things you would expect a teacher to wear: such as bright colors and bows. I didn't have the look of a corporate professional and I wasn't terribly fashionable, but I at least attained cute even if it was puppy dogs and rainbows cute.

Today however I looked sophisticated. My long blonde hair had piled and coiled and braided into an elegant updo, it was worlds away from the thick wavey nest it usually was. The emerald of the dress pulled out the lavender tones in my eyes, and my little heels made me appear taller and a little older. For once, I was pleased with the way I looked. I put on the gold watch my mom had given me years ago before going downstairs to the party.

I followed the sound of the string quartet to the ballroom, I pulled my shoulders back as I descended the marble stair case. There was a large sparkly chandelier over head that the dark windows and the shined marble reflected. The brightly colored women and and men stood around a statue that looked like a horse but it had a flat surface on its back. I walked slowly down the stairs to take in the scene. It was all so beautiful I could scarcely believe I was actually here, after all I lived in New York on a teachers salary, fancy wasn't something I got very often. I stood at the center of the floor and watched all the people around me. I supposed this wasn't the type of event to dance at but it was certainly lovely enough to just watch them stand. They spoke in swirl of different languages, some I understood and others I didn't.

I began making my rounds across the room talking to people who spoke English or my secondary language French. It would probably be very dull talk for anyone who didn't teach. I however found it enlightening to speak to some of the best educators around. I was listening to an elderly gentleman when a gust of strong icy wind blew through the room. It was strong and cold enough to feel like we were outdoors, I few ladies shrieked in delight as their skirts were ruffled.

I suddenly broke out into a cold sweat and felt weak at the knees, my brain buzzed uncomfortably. I had no idea what was happening to me, it was like I'd developed the flu in under five seconds. The world started to spin and I excused myself as gracefully as possible, I all but ran up the steps towards the bathroom. I shoved open the door, and went to the sink and turned the tap on cold. I splashed some on the back of my neck and the insides of my wrists until the ringing in my ears stopped and the room wasn't rocking.

What had all that been about?I hadn't been drinking and I hadn't felt sick recently. I looked up into my reflection and was surprised, I looked like I'd seen a ghost I was so pale. I needed to be on medications I resolved to myself, these things only really happened to insane people. I turned the tap off and dried my hands off.

Just at that moment I saw something move in the mirror, jumping back with gasp as I recognized that it was a person. I whirled around, my heart in my throat, my eyes automatically darted away from the eyes as I came to face to face them. I looked down at the ground not wanting to see who it was but knowing who it would be. I slowly looked up to his face my breathing coming out in raged short bursts. When I finally reached his face my knees gave out and I had to lean against the marble counter to keep from falling.

He slowly reached one finger up and pressed it to his lips. Quiet. He appeared much calmer than the last time I'd seen him. His hair wasn't wild, he was even wearing normal clothing, the only thing out of place was the long staff he carried casually in his other hand. I swallowed thickly as he paced away from me, his eyes never left me and he looked me up and down. His disposition was similar to when someone approached a lost dog, he didn't want to scare me off but he most definitely wanted to catch me.

"Why are you following me?" I squeaked out finally. He smirked quickly before pacing in the other direction.

"I don't think you'd care to know." He responded. As far as answers went that one was as unhelpful as they came. I decided to stay silent and wait for him to speak as he paced back and forth, he obviously had something on his mind, maybe he would share it.

"You did receive your bag in good order?" he asked, it seemed like he was sharing a private joke with me. "I suppose you're curious as to my presence in the ladies restroom?" he said after a pause, he switched his scepter into his other hand. I nodded in response.

"Business has brought me here, and I need you to be out of the way." he said this with a matter of fact tone that unnerved me.

"Why?" I asked, not knowing what I was actually asking, I just wanted answers. He smiled again, not a full smile but a slight turn of the lips.

"Things might get a little messy shall we say and it would be very bad if you were to die in the chaos." He stated calmly. A trickle of fear went down my spine, but I kept asking questions to keep from panicking, this could be my only chance to get some information.

"Why shouldn't I die?" I asked slightly indignantly. I could tell he was laughing at me internally.

"I already said you wouldn't care to know."

"Well I do care to know." I said back, despite the voice in my head that silently agreed with him. He looked contemplative at this, or at least pretended to be.

"We are bonded" he stated with a wince as if he didn't like the word, he watched me for any reaction. I didn't known what he meant, I'd met him once and we hadn't bonded at all, it had actually been a very negative experience.

"I have no idea what your talking about, I don't even know your first name." I said confidently, he gave me a slight, withering stare as if he were explaining something to a particularly dense child.

"I am of a race of people that have developed a very unique practice of...mating." He said awkwardly, "Instead of courting over a period of time, someone is selected the moment they are met. It is for a lifetime and it is unbreakable, much like the birds you call swans here." It appeared to be an uncomfortable topic for him, as if the words themselves tasted bad.

My mind went into rejection mode, my heart thudded and my mind whirred at the overwhelming new information. It seemed too ridiculous, and yet I knew he wasn't lying.

"No, nothing has happened, you're crazy!" I said urgently. He still looked calm.

"You can accept it or you can deny it, but eventually if we do not acknowledge it, it will kill us slowly and the world will freeze over." Again he spoke like there was a bad taste in his mouth.

"You do not have to come now, there is still time yet, but time will run out." he said before turning on his heel and walking out the door it clicked shut behind him. Bewildered and dazed I leaned up against the counter and attempted to hold onto my sanity.

A few minutes later I began to hear people scream, I pushed myself away from the sink and ran for the door and gave it a yank. It didn't budge, the doorknob didn't even rattle. The screaming picked up in height and desperation, I tried to thrust the door open with the side of my hip. It didn't move.

I was crying now, thinking of the violence he had told me would happen, my friends were down there, alone facing his violence. I was violently shaking the door now trying to get out. I felt pathetic and weak but I slid to the ground and started to sob. I sobbed because of the mess I was in and I sobbed because I couldn't protect my friends. I heard sirens of police cars, I heard them explode, I heard people fall silent.

And that's where they found me two hours later.

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I'm not really pleased with this chapter. I want to know what you guys think, especially about Charlotte and what you think about her, I'm not sure if she is coming off properly. Please review, anything you say will go into the story and make it better :)


	4. Answers

**I appreciate everyone who reviewed! It really made my day, words can't describe. And from now on I'll be a little more careful with grammar, I guess you guys didn't like my post modern style hahaha (you can laugh it's a literature joke). Hope you enjoy :)**

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~Answers~

I sat slightly hunched over a table in a brightly lit room. Last night agents from a government division had flown me here for questioning. They had claimed I wasn't in any trouble, they just wanted my statement. I told them I didn't know anything but they had insisted that I come with them.

They were however nice enough to give me one of their spare uniforms. Which was a relief because I had still been wearing my dress and heels. The uniform was a comfy black material made into flexible pants and a buttoned top with an emblem that said S.H.E.I.L.D. I'd never heard of it before, but I suppose most secret agencies weren't household names. I was starting to realize how little I knew about anything.

I'd been sitting here for nearly an hour, from what I'd heard they'd caught the dark haired man but not before he'd destroyed part of the city. That made me worry, my friends had been in that mess, there were too many ways they could've been hurt. I tapped my foot impatiently as my mind raced over the possibilities. Too much to think about, the small room was making me antsy. Abruptly I stood up and paced around the bright room, running a hand roughly through my tangled hair.

One side of the room had a window that looked over a large room that resembled a loading dock only with no planes. Inside there was a smaller circular glass room, the circular room was empty but there were lots of people milling about it. I circled around to the other side of the room, it had a view of a hallway, beyond that was a view of the ocean. It was disturbing, and strange to think of an entire government facility, flying around completely invisible.

With a huff I sat back down. I had no idea what was happening, I didn't even know what time it was. I glanced out the window that faced the ocean, it was dark, that's all I could say. I sat for another few minutes before I heard the sound of footfall. I glanced up towards the window again, a large group of men in uniform were marching a man down the hall. When I looked searchingly between the uniformed men I realized it wasn't just any man, it was my new stalker.

He smiled manically at me as he passed, showing all of his teeth. He looked like he was up to something. His face smoothed to nothing the moment he passed. I shivered violently when he was out of sight.

A few seconds later one of the men who had found me in the bathroom entered. He looked every bit the part of a government agent, wearing a black suit and tie. He sat across from me and I stiffened slightly, I was not in a particularly trusting mood.

"I thought you might like to start by knowing your friends are okay, they avoided the brunt of the chaos." he said in a low calm voice.

I breathed a long held in sigh of relief, and my chest loosened fractionally.

"That being said, I'm going to have to ask you some questions. You're not in any trouble but you are one of the few people Loki has talked to." He explained smoothly.

"Loki? Is that his name?" The idea disconcerted me, I'd heard the name before and the context sent red flags up.

"Yes, he is not from Earth. He comes from a planet called Asgard and he has become a major threat to Earth's safety. We are trying to gain as much information on his intentions as possible. If you know anything, then it very important you tell us." He finished. I could tell he looked tired and desperate but there wasn't much I could tell him. The few conversations I'd had with Loki had been brief.

"I'm sorry, Agent...?"

"Coulson,"

"Coulson, but there isn't much I can tell you, I'm more confused than anything, I didn't even know his name." I trailed off, not knowing what to say. Coulson wasn't even paying attention, he was staring off at the glass tank through the window. It was no longer empty though, it had Loki in it. As if on queue he looked up and stared directly at me. I flinched away from his gaze and stared at the table, my cheeks became hot. Coulson turned his head toward me shaking his head.

"We don't understand his interest in you either." He said it almost apologetically.

"He told me that he had been bonded to me," I choked out the words. "I don't understand what he means, it's almost like an animal or something. But it scares me, he says his race of people do that and that it's permanent and it could kill me and freeze the Earth and.." I stopped my flurry of words. I felt my throat tighten and my eyes water, but I felt marginally better after sharing this with someone. Especially since he seemed to believe me, or at least didn't look skeptical.

"I'm not familiar with this trait. His brother has never mentioned it but it is my understanding that Loki isn't actually Asgardian. According to Thor he is adopted, so it's possible this could be part of the people he comes from." He explained patiently as I collected myself.

"I could talk to Thor, his brother, about this. He would be likely to know," He offered. I nodded my assent.

"If I could know anything I think I'd feel better, knowledge is power after all." I blabbered, he gave me a sympathetic look before leaving the room.

I leaned back in my chair, I felt eyes on me again, looking anywhere but out that window I began to fidget. I brushed my hair with my fingertips nervously as the urge to look became overwhelming. It was like when you know someone is talking about you in one room over and you know you shouldn't listen but you really want to. That was this feeling. I blamed my innate curiosity. 'Do not look Charlotte, you know what you're going to see, so it's not worth looking.' I crossed and uncrossed my legs, until finally given into my basic urges and slowly peeking through my hair. My breath caught in my throat when my eyes met his, his expression had caught me off guard. I felt like I was standing right next to him instead of several hundred yards. His eyes were full of intensity as he looked up at me, he looked like he was waiting for something. I looked away uncomfortably, luckily Coulson walked in just then to give me a distraction.

" I had to get permission before letting you talk to Thor about potentially classified information, but you've been cleared now. If you would follow me."

I got up and and went out the door behind him, eager to get out of that room. We passed by several rooms, most had blinds drawn but one had a window looking into a lab. Three men stood around a table, they looked at me curiously as we passed. I didn't really blame them, I probably looked horribly out of place here.

Coulson and I entered into a conference type room, it looked over a floor that was lined with people and computers. At the other end of the floor I could see Loki's fish tank but he was too tiny to make out from here. A tall man in a dark leather coat stepped down from a stand surrounded by computers. He looked very intimidating, and his eyepatch certainly didn't help.

"Director Fury, this is Charlotte Lane, the girl we took into custody for questioning." Coulson stated while gesturing to me. I stood slightly behind him, too nervous to approach. Director Fury looked at me quickly before nodding at Coulson and moving to the table.

"Thor will be here shortly, I need to talk to Loki soon, but I think I'd better hear this before I go." He gestured to two of the chairs around the table. Coulson and I sat, silence quickly descended on the table. I looked down at my knees and went into deep thinking mode, I was hoping they wouldn't start questioning me if I looked pensive enough.

After a few minutes I saw them exchange a glance. Director Fury looked ready to say something when an enormous man walked through the door. I had no doubt this was Thor, he was the only person who wouldn't make the name sound stupid.

"I was informed that you wished to speak with me urgently." He proclaimed over the silent room.

"Yes, we have a few questions for you regarding your brother Loki." Fury said.

Thor sat at the other end of the table looking almost amused and relatively unperturbed.

"Ask me anything, although Loki's mind is a mysterious and secretive place I know little about." He said confidently. Coulson and Fury gave me an expectant look, like they wanted me to start asking questions. Right then was when Thor seemed to take notice of me, he leaned forward resting his chin on his hand. With the three of the them staring at me my mind went blank and I froze and become flustered. I tried to force some words out but nothing really happened. Coulson noticed me freeze up and took over the situation.

"Are you aware of any mating instincts in Loki's kind?"He asked pulling Thor's attention away from me.

"Frost Giants?" He asked looking amused, "Of course, in Asgard we jest about how that is the only way they can bed a woman" He laughed for a moment before looking at me again. His face fell as he put two and two together. He cleared his throat.

"My apologies, that was much too crass a joke to say in the presence of a lady."

"Can you tell us the specifics of this situation?" Fury asked breaking a now very awkward silence.

"I know not of the specifics as you as you say, what I know of is the legends shared on Asgard." He paused, Fury nodded for him to continue.

"Frost Giants are hideous creatures, it's said they mate because none of their women or men would ever actually select someone on their own. It was derived out of necessity to keep their race intact. It happens almost as soon as the two meet, it's supposed to be very strong and once found it cannot be changed. After that, the two must return to the capital of Jotenheim and be Wed or at least the Jotun equivalent. If they do not then both parties face a slow death." He finished. I processed the new information, I received it a lot better than I would've a few days ago.

"How is it possible then, for another race, and it's biologies and practices to affect one of our own?" Fury asked with and indignant tone in his voice.

"My people suggest that the bond is forged between two people that would have a higher chance at, um, reproducing together." Thor was starting to look uncomfortable at the topic now. "After all, Loki may be a Frost Giant but he does not appear as such and was not raised among them. It would not be likely that he a female Frost Giant would produce decent offspring. Beyond that there is no indication this bond is restricted between two Frost Giants."

"So it's formed from physical, biological, and mental needs?" Fury asked.

"Indeed, but I can't help you much beyond this. Most of my knowledge comes from stories my father told me as a boy, and most of those stories were about destroying Frost Giants, not creating them."

Fury nodded before standing.

"I think perhaps I should talk to the man behind all of this chaos. Coulson, I want the other Avengers in here for a debriefing." With that he walked out of the room. Coulson stood and looked down at me.

"He didn't say what I should do with you, so if you would please wait here for the time being." He asked politely. I nodded before he too went out the door.

So it was just Thor and me now, I had to admit he kind of made me nervous. He was easily my size tripled, which disconcerted me. I looked over at him across the table, he was watching me. I averted my eyes quickly.

"I don't know whether to apologize or congratulate you on winning Loki's attentions. While he is my brother, I don't deny he is going down a dark path." He looked away pondering something. I allowed him the silence to think. "There is something I did not say for privacy's sake in front of the other's company. Loki is the biological heir to the throne of Jotenheim, once you are there they will not allow you to leave until you have produced a son." He looked at me apologetically. This sounded way too medieval for me to handle.

"I can't believe this is happening to me." I groaned. I really couldn't, there was a part of me that denied this was even happening. Another part of me refused to allow it to happen.

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Hate it? Love it? Too cliche? Too Predictable? Please leave a comment! I hope I got Thor, Fury, and Coulson easy to read and accurate. Oh and heads up Laufey is alive in this story, just roll with it. :)


	5. Air Siege

** Happy cheering! I passed my math final and made a B in the class! I want to give a shout out to pat4pat, your reviews make me feel so confident. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter, it was fun to write! :)**

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I'd been dumped into a tiny sitting room somewhere in the middle of the plane. Apparently the Avengers were too cool for me, and didn't want me listening in. It was about mid morning now, someone had graced me with the time while they had shuffled me about. I didn't know why I was still here but they wouldn't let me leave, so I just stared at the wall, waiting. I was desperate to go home, to grade papers and call my family. I wanted to go back to my normal life, but I doubted it would ever be the same. I'd seen a bit too much. I sat and tried to be patient.

The ship gave a violent shake very suddenly. It was forceful enough that some of the furniture slid a few inches. I jumped up and caught a lamp just as it teetered over the edge of the table. I placed it back carefully. Had that been turbulence? The plane rocked again, I stumbled, this time I couldn't save the lamp. It shattered loudly and with a loud pop it went out. The room was plunged into darkness. I froze and prayed the plane would be still.

My eyes adjusted slowly as I waited for something else to happen. I could hear a siren somewhere, I wondered what could've happened to make a ship shake so violently.

I heard people rushing outside the door, I wondered if anyone could tell me something. I stumbled for the handle on the door, I flung it open and looked out the threshold. People were running up and down the hall, they all looked relatively alarmed which wasn't a good sign. I was about to step out and talk to someone when an arrow whistled past my face. I jumped back as it imbedded itself in the chest of a man, standing not two feet away from me. The people in the hallway began to panic as more arrows and bullets flew through the air. I clutched the frame of the door not knowing what do, and too scared to think properly.

Two more people collapsed in front of me. One of them, a woman not much older than me, lay on the ground struggling for air, or life. I couldn't tell which.

I ran to her side without thinking, people scrambled past us to safety. I kneeled over her to check for a pulse. Her blood ran everywhere in thick pools, she wouldn't have much longer, it looked like she'd been shot on the side of her neck. She started to choke on blood and fear. I grasped her hand as her movements slowed. People were falling all around me in the long hallway, but I couldn't bring myself to look around.

My chest was clenched with fear, all I could think to do was hold onto this woman's hand. I was probably grasping her as much as she was to me. I screamed in fear as someone grabbed me around the waist and thrust me up against the wall. My back slammed so hard I didn't have the presence of mind to struggle. A man with red hair now stood in front of me, he had one arm braced against my neck pinning me to the wall. His free hand was holding a gun, which was pressed against my temple. My heart hammered with adrenaline. I rested my eyes on the woman on the floor. She was dead now.

"Don't shoot! Are you crazy? Look at who you are pointing that at before you go pulling triggers." A man said impatiently as he pulled an arrow out of a man's chest. The guy holding the gun lowered his gaze to me, his eyes were glowing blue.

I gasped, they were like that man's that Loki had attacked, the first day I saw him. Of course Loki would be behind all of this. As the gun was withdrawn and I was released I made a rash decision to run. My muscles flinched to life as I jerked away from the red haired man. I made it a barely a foot when bow and arrow man lunged for me. I squeaked as his arms encircled me and pinned my arms to my side.

I jerked furiously away but without the use of my hands I couldn't do much but squirm.

"Calm down, we are not going to hurt you." The man grabbing me said.

Ignoring him completely I continued to struggle. Two men walked down the hallway then, they didn't seem surprised or worried about the situation so I assumed they were with Loki.

"Oh good, Barton found her, we should probably move her soon. We don't have long." the taller of the two stated.

"Right, you take her, Loki has a job for me to do." Barton said. He shoved me towards the other two men; they each grabbed me by one of my arms as I struggled to get free. I stumbled as they dragged me down the hallway towards the stairs. I dropped my weight, picked my feet up, kicked, jerked, everything I'd learned in self defense. Wherever they were going I did not want to join.

On the stair well the lights flickered eerily. The door fell shut behind us. Now out of sight from the others I took full advantage of the inclined stairs. I threw all of my weight downward, the steepness of the stairs threw the men off balance. As they fell I was prepared enough to land semi upright, I quickly got my footing and took off down the stairs. I had to find someone I knew, there had to be normal Shield agents somewhere.

I couldn't go back up the stairs because Barton was up there. Going down had its risks too though. I realized that since that was the direction they were taking me, there was a good chance I was just speeding up the process. I went down two flights of stairs before I felt safe enough to open a door. I could hear the pounding of footsteps above me, so I was in desperate need of an escape route.

The door opened into a long, thankfully, empty hallway. I shut the door softly behind me so that they could guess which door I'd gone through. Not waiting to find out how smart they were, I started running again. Adrenaline gave me an endless abundance of energy, I barely felt winded as I sped through the hallway. I skidded to into a large hangar room with small planes everywhere. A few people close the entrance looked up at me, their eyes were bloodshot and glowing an iridescent blue.

Panic shot through me as I turned around, and ran in the opposite direction. Where were the Shield agents? For a secret agency they were being taken over pretty easily. I think I was holding my own better than any of them. I reached a corner and practically slid I was going so fast.

I didn't have time to react before I collided with someone; my head snapped back on impact and it took me a second to recover. Hands shot out to catch me. I glanced up as I regained my footing, to look into the face of none other than Loki. He actually looked taken aback by my sudden appearance. I was working on side stepping him when he grasped my shoulders and pulled me towards him. He stopped pulling when I was only a few inches away. He smelled faintly of smoke, and although he looked slightly disheveled his demeanor was calm.

"And, what might you be doing here? I believe I gave specific orders for you to be on the jet by now." Loki said while studying me, I got the sense he was frustrated with whomever I'd escaped from.

I saw Loki's eyes dart as two men swung around the corner at top speed. He pulled me to the side as they struggled to halt. They looked horribly out of breath and red in the face, I can't imagine how many wrong turns they took to get here. A thought that made me rather happy. I turned back over to face Loki, who was smiling widely now. He was looking between the men and me. Finally his eyes rested on me.

"You are an exciting one aren't you?" He asked taping me on the nose. I frowned but didn't answer. He looked at the men behind my shoulder.

"We need to leave while they are still scrambling to collect themselves." He stated while spinning me around, so I was no longer facing him. He gently prodded me to start walking. I made to duck under his arm, but he caught me around the waist and pulled my back up against him. I struggled desperately to free myself, all of Thor's words ringing in my ears. Loki grabbed one of my wrists with his free hand.

"None of that, we have a schedule to keep and if agents come down here we will have to kill them. If we are gone then they are free to continue their miserable lives." He said in a dry tone, I doubted he cared either way. I stopped struggling and he released me slowly, he still kept one hand on my arm as he walked me to the plane. He pulled me onto the plane which was whirring loudly, as I stepped onto the plane I noted that all of the people had the strange glowing eyes. I started to hyperventilate with fear, as the plane started to move. I was on my own.

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I'll probably write more now that the semester is over. I still need to figure out what direction the next chapter is going. This chapter was a little unplanned hahaha! Please review! I take criticism well!


	6. Flight

**Thank you to those who read and reviewed. This chapter is a little short but it has good interactions I think. Enjoy :)**

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~Flight~

I braced myself on a wall as the jet took off, everybody had gone about their business. Leaving me isolated in the corner. Even Loki had gone over to the pilot, I guess he wasn't worried about me jumping out, now that we were airborne.

It was very tight in the small jet, and there were about half a dozen people crammed in. They all seemed to be busy doing something so I didn't bother them. I don't know what I would've said to them anyway. They probably didn't even know their first names. I crossed my arms and summoned positive thoughts, I didn't know what else to do with myself. Screaming and kicking seemed pointless at the moment; and I wasn't going to be the crying victim either.

I started to watch Loki. He had regained his scepter, and was pacing impatiently behind the two pilot's chairs. I wondered briefly if we were in any danger of being shot out of the sky. That was an unsettling thought. I wasn't sure which would be better: carrying on with Loki or going out in a flame of glory. I continued watching him go back and forth. It was strangely relaxing.

As if feeling my gaze Loki looked back at me, I narrowed my eyes at him, expressing my displeasure. He simply nodded his head to a chair behind the copilot's. I walked over mechanically.

I sat, feeling all the lost hours of sleep weighing on me. There was no way I would sleep here though. I looked up at Loki who was staring down at me, I could tell he was thinking about something. I doubted that I really wanted to know.

"What did you do to these people?" I asked, breaking the silence.

He looked at me pensively before speaking.

"Nothing. They chose to be here." He answered carefully. I could see straight through the lie, it was as bad as a student claiming their dog ate their homework.

"No they didn't. Stop lying, I'm not dense." I said boldly, more boldly that I'd intended. He grinned widely in response.

"No, no you're not. I was curious how easily you would believe me." He stated before continuing.

"I broadened their minds and allowed them to see things my way." He explained.

"How?"

"I touch them with this." He said gesturing with his staff. Thats what he did to the man in the alley I added mentally.

"And what exactly does it do to them?"

"I've told you, it broadens their mind." He answered patiently. I felt rather like one of my students, learning long division for the first time.

"But, How?" I demanded, unwillingly to quit. He sighed.

"It puts part of me in their minds." He said reluctantly.

"And controls them." I finished.

"In a sense." He replied flippantly.

I looked away from him, I felt a pang of pity for the people on the ship. Obviously they didn't even realize what they were doing. Loki took a step closer to me, I looked up at him. Leaning back in my chair to see his face. His demeanor was slightly different now, more guarded than a few seconds ago.

"Why do you care?" He asked curiously.

I thought about it for a moment, there were a lot of things I could say that would be close to accurate. They were people, who had families, and lives that they needed to go back to. Not to mention the toll something like this could take on them after it was over. But, if I were to be honest with myself, it wasn't because of the people that I wanted to know. I stood suddenly, uncomfortable with my realization.

"Why, haven't you done it to me?" I asked tentatively, not wanting to hear the answer. He looked semi surprised at the turn of the conversation. To be honest I felt guilty about how I was solely worrying about myself.

"I must admit the idea had occurred to me, on more than one occasion." He lifted the scepter up, considering it. "It would make this situation, much more smooth."

He brought the scepter between us, my heart thudded uncomfortably as it hovered over my chest. I looked up at Loki to gauge his emotions, his face was blank, but he lacked the conviction. His eyes met mine and he lowered it back down.

"I don't like the idea of your mind tainted, even if it's with my own."

Relieved, I took a step back; not wanting my private bubble to become a place he was comfortable in.

I looked out the window, I could see the New York skyline in the distance. It made me smile inwardly to see my home so close. I could practically hear the jam of people so close to one another. The whistle of cars, the chatter of voices, the laughter of children. With a pang I reminded myself that I might not get to go home.

"Where are we going?" I asked quietly.

"Stark Tower." He responded. I looked over in surprise, that was not an answer I was expecting.

"What's going to happen?" I asked, looking at him. He lifted his chin, so he was gazing down his nose at me. He considered me for a second before turning back to the pilot with his hands behind his back. The conversation was over.

I realize now that he hadn't known what to tell me.

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What did you think? A little tame but it's going to be very eventful in the coming chapters. Oh, and would any of you read a chapter if it was posted on Christmas? I don't want to post if no one will read it. Please Review, it will make me so happy!


	7. Run

**Woohoo! I made over 40 followers! In celebration, here is chapter delivered on Christmas (eve). Whether you're reading at the crack of dawn while waiting for everyone to wake up, or while listening to your drunk grandfather talk, I hope you have a fabulous holiday!**

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~Run~

**I watched as the pilot of the plane expertly landed on the top of Stark Towers. I didn't know what was about to happen, but Loki had become steadily more angry as we neared. He had repeatedly ordered the various crew on their jobs when we landed. From what I'd gathered, the rest of the crew were to go back to a base somewhere. After that they were supposed to wait for new orders. I didn't know where they were going or what their orders would be. I also didn't know what would happen to me. Each time I asked, Loki gave me some sharp answer to be silent.****I dreaded to find out why he was in such a terrible mood. **

My stomach dropped slightly as the plane made contact with the top of the roof. I stretched to the tips of my toes to see the view from the window. We were extremely high up, high enough that the building swayed slightly in the wind. A fact that would thrill my students if I ever got a chance to tell them.

"Sir, the jet is landed." The pilot announced to Loki. Loki gave a stiff nod, before grabbing me by the arm and dragging me towards the door. I stumbled to match stride with him, his long coat hitting me in the wind. We were quickly moving towards the large glass doors opening to Stark Tower.

"Do you have a key?" I asked drily as the jet took off behind us. Loki looked at me unamused before winding his scepter back and sending a gigantic ball of blue energy towards the glass. I gasped in surprise as it shattered the glass easily. Loki looked down at me, amused again, before pulling me forward . I stepped carefully over the shattered glass, I doubted Loki would feel much sympathy if I slipped and fell on it. The room we'd stepped into was large and modern looking, it was pretty much every New Yorkers dream. All clean lines, and impressive views.

Loki dragged me over to a dining table and chairs. He unceremoniously pulled one out and pushed me down into it. His behavior was starting to really frighten me. He hadn't appeared this wild since the first encounter I'd had with him. It was like watching a quiet tornado, as he paced rapidly back and forth.

"Loki?" I asked tentatively. He looked over stopping his pacing right away. He calmed down visibly and raised his eyebrows at me in response.

"What's happening? What's coming?" I asked, my voice quavering slightly. His face softened marginally, as he moved closer to me.

"The Chitauri are coming." He said gravely. Chitauri?

"And they are going to do what exactly?" I asked quietly. He smirked slightly before answering.

"Enslave, the human race." He said emotionlessly. My head jerked up at that. My heart dropped.

"You can't-" I faltered.

"It's already done. It can't be stopped." He cut in. I got up from my chair and walked over to him.

"You can't let this happen, it won't work the way you planned. We're stubborn, they'll kill us all trying to control us." I said in a horrified whisper. He shook his head dismissing me.

"You will not be in any danger." He told me. Like that was going to be the worst of my worries. My anger mounted as he started to turn around.

"I don't care about myself, I care about all the people I love who are going to be destroyed! My students! They're just children. You can't let this happen, it's not right, we barely stand a chance." I pled forcefully. Loki took my wrists in his hands and pulled me towards his chest. I tensed but didn't pull back. If I kicked him he probably wouldn't listen to a word I said.

"There is nothing that can be done at this point." He said softly. "Do not fight it." I looked at him, hoping to see a glimmer of human emotion. They were hard and cold as ice.

We stood there locked in a stand off of sorts. I was vaguely aware of a high pitched whirring noise in the background. I continued to stare down Loki until the noise mounted so loudly I couldn't ignore it. The whirring sound was deafening to the point it made my eardrums cringe. I finally broke eye contact, looking up. The sound was coming from above. Seeing my confusion Loki looked up as well.

"The Tesseract is warming up, it will not be long before it opens." He explained. Suddenly he pulled me flush up against him, there was no space between us. He placed a hand on the small of my back as I craned my neck to meet his eyes.

"Listen carefully. The Chitauri are coming. They are going to come from the top of this building. They will kill anyone who fights them. Most of the people near the chaos will perish as well, in the violence. You need to run and get as far away from here as possible. Stay off the streets. If they catch up to you, do not fight them. Do exactly as they ask, and tell them you know me. This is your only chance, now go." He said pushing me towards an elevator.

Dumbfounded at the strange turn of events I took a step forward to the doors. I couldn't believe I was just leaving, after all the effort I'd put into escaping, he'd literally just pushed me to the door. My freedom was short lived as I felt a hand tug me back. I was chest to chest yet again with Loki. He was breathing heavily now, his cool breath fanning out over my face. I could almost feel his heart thrumming against mine.

"Do you mean to enslave Earth holding me like this?" I asked sarcastically. He didn't respond. Instead he leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. I gasped slightly in surprise as he moved his against mine. A tingling sensation ran through my body in response. As quickly as it started, he pulled away. Leaving a sharp cool flavor on my lips, like spearmint.

"For good luck." He explained. "Now run."

Sorry this whole story is in bold, my computer is givin me grief. This chapter is a little rushed. Plus I've never been kissed so the whole romance thing is kind of just my instincts. And that was just a tiny scene, so give

**me feedback so I know if it sounds okay (maybe feels is a better word). Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Please, please review, it will be like a Christmas gift for me! :) **


	8. Subway Rides

**I'm so very sorry for the long wait! It's been a very hectic month for me! And do not worry I will finish this story. Anyway I hope you like the chapter.**

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My feet slammed rhythmically on the concrete sidewalk as I sped away from Stark Tower. I was using all of my energy to put space between myself and the tower. There was only one place I could think to go, and it was a long run from here.

I found the nearest subway station and bounded down the steps. To my horror I heard the sound of screams in the distance. But I didn't dare to turn around, I just ran.

Good timing and a world of luck made it so I didn't have to wait for the train. I all but dove in, startling a few business men standing by the door. I stood awkwardly not knowing what to do. These people could very well die today. Do I warn them? Would they even believe me? If they did where would could they even go?

My moral dilemma was interrupted by the conversation of the men standing next to me.

"Lillah is freaking out, she keeps texting me about something happening near her building. I don't what to think about it, she keeps calling it an attack." He told his counterpart. Skepticism was strong in his voice. I had to admit it would seem far fetched for most people.

"I've been getting the same type of messages from my brother!" The second man exclaimed. "He keeps asking me where I am and if I'm okay. He just sent me another message." there was a pause. "He says building are being destroyed. What do you think it is?"

I stood dumbfounded, count on social media to get the word around quickly. The train slowed as it neared my stop. People all around the train were buzzing with the news of the violence. Some alarmed, others amused, assuming it was some type of prank. These people might die if I didn't intercede. I stood up on one of the subway chairs.

"Hey!" I shouted. "Everything on the news is true, stay in the subway and remain calm. Tell your family members to seek shelter and stay off the streets." Feeling incredibly cool I hopped off the chair and sauntered off the train. I silently prayed that they would listen as I rushed to the exit.

As I finally resurfaced from the dark stairs I was floored by the amount of destruction that had already ripped through New York. Whatever had ripped through the streets had left it silent and demolished. Not a soul in sight. I looked up to the sky, in the distance I saw Stark Tower. There was a swarm of smoke and flying creatures in the sky; a few of the smaller ones were headed back here.

I only had a block left. I could make it. I zipped around debris on the side walk. I dodged behind an overturned car as a group of the aliens whizzed by on flying scooters. I swallowed a gasp as I saw them for the first time.

I always imagined aliens as green headed little men or similar to our likeness, as Loki was. These beings were beyond what I could've imagined, their bodies screamed violence and destruction. They were bigger and by the looks, more savage.

I held my breath as they passed. My body was starting to shake from all of the adrenaline, but I reeled it in, I couldn't afford to panic now. I tensed and darted to the next car and ducked behind that one. I followed this method all the way down the block, that was a positive of the destroyed street, there were plenty of hiding niches. With my goal finally in sight I made a mad dash to the door. The one place I could think of being when the town was in danger.

I unlocked the front doors of my Elementary School with my key card. It was my job to teach them, and protect them. I shoved the door open determinedly, to come face to face with our receptionist brandishing a baseball bat. She didn't recognize me right away and made the moves to beat me silly.

"Woah, Chandra woah, easy does it. It's me, not going to hurt you." I said soothingly. Raising my hands defensively, she automatically dropped the bat and started to sob.

"I-I'm sorry, so sorry. I can't, I don't know what to do. This w-wasn't in training." She sniveled as I wrapped an arm around her shoulders. I gently led her back behind the desk.

"It's okay, calm down. No need to get upset, keeping a cool head will help us through this. Now I'm going to leave you here, and go find my students. Try to barricade the doors if you can." I turned to leave and hurry down the hall when she meekly called after me.

"Your class is in the GYM."

I glanced over my shoulder to see her dragging a chair in front of the door. I nodded my head to myself, and raced to the gym. I looked into a few rooms as I passed them, they were all darkened and the desks were empty. They were undoubtedly in a code red, which meant they would all hide in the corners of the rooms.

I skidded to a stop on the shiny waxed floors. The doors of the gym stood massive in front of me; I paused and resisted the urge to throw them open dramatically. I didn't want to be assaulted by my students in the same manor the receptionist attempted. I decided knocking would be the best option. I raised my knuckles and slammed them on the wood peevishly.

"It's me! It's Charlotte, can I come in?" I announced loudly. I heard a series of small voices on the other side.

The door was quickly opened; I shuffled through the opening. On the other side I saw a small barricade fashioned from gym equipment. Third graders were scattered around and behind it. Behind me I heard the gym coach close the door with a thud. My students quickly surrounded me, whispering their fears and worries to me. The majority of their thoughts seemed to be for their families, and the events transpiring outside. I didn't know what to tell them. There wasn't a good way to tell seven year olds that today could be their last day of life. Instead I gathered them all up behind the barricade and sat down.

"Does anyone have a book?" I asked quietly. Several of them nodded and retrieved their small books. I shifted through the selections absentmindedly: my hand drifted towards the largest one: Harry Potter. I opened it to the first page; if we were going to die than we would die reading. I began reading in a strong confident voice; trying my best to transport them to a happier place. A few of them smiled, and a few of them cried silent tears as I read to them about the boy who lived.

* * *

**I apologize for the deep cheesiness of the Harry Potter reference. It's one of my own memories. When I was a kid there was a bomb at our school and my teacher read to us to calm us down. It was a good method. True story. Any way review :) I love you guys. **


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